Page 126 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

“Kieran said the whole shifting thing seems to work like when the wolven shift at first,” he said. “The first couple of times are difficult. It can be easy to lose yourself in the more…animalistic side of your nature.”

“Makes sense,” I murmured.

Drawing back, his gaze met mine, and I could tell he knew I didn’t think that. He grabbed the blanket and tugged it over my shoulders. “It’ll be the same for you.”

My stomach tumbled in a mixture of excitement and a little bit of fear at the thought. I rarely heard Kieran’s or the others’ bones snap when they shifted.

“Did it hurt?” I asked. “Shifting?”

“It wasn’t exactly pleasant the first time, but it sounds worse than it feels.”

“I really need to speak to the two of you,” Reaver said from the other side of the door a second before it swung open.

Casteel sighed, and my lips twitched. Reaver really had no sense of self-preservation.

“You okay?” Casteel asked me.

“Don’t mind me,” the draken said dryly. “I’m just standing here staring at your naked ass.”

Casteel stiffened, and I could tell he was searching for patience. A moment later, I heard his voice through the notam . I was rough with you afterward .

I flattened my palm against his cheek. I enjoyed it. A lot.

His chuckle was deep and rumbly. I could tell, but that doesn’t erase the fact that I was rough.

I’m not so easily breakable , I assured and kissed him softly. I’m fine.

“Still staring at your ass,” Reaver remarked.

Casteel twisted at the waist and tugged a blanket over my bare legs. “That is the second time you’ve entered a chamber where she was without permission and were able to walk out. There will not be a third time.”

I grabbed the edges of the blanket, making sure nothing…unmentionable was showing.

“Understood?” Casteel demanded.

Reaver’s nostrils flared as they locked eyes. “Understood.”

Casteel turned back to me. “I’ll grab you something to wear.” He kissed the corner of my lips and then straightened. “Sit tight.”

As soon as he moved away from the bed, Reaver opened his mouth.

“Whatever it is, it needs to wait,” Casteel interrupted as he disappeared into the closet, “until she has a chance to put some clothes on.”

“I don’t understand what the problem is,” Reaver stated, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s just flesh.”

“It’s beautiful flesh,” Casteel replied, returning with a robe. “And it’s not for your eyes.”

“But your dick is?” Reaver challenged.

I glanced down and saw that Cas was, in fact, still completely nude, He hadn’t grabbed himself anything to wear yet.

And he was still semi-hard.

Oh, my gods.

Smirking at the draken, Casteel crossed the chamber. My gaze dropped to his arousal, and warmth flared in my cheeks and between my thighs.

“Poppy.” Casteel’s voice was pure silk, drawing my gaze to his. He bent so his mouth was only inches from mine. “If you keep looking at my dick like that, I’m going to have to kick Reaver out of this chamber.”

“ I would like to stop looking at your dick,” Reaver commented.

“You sure about that? I think you like staring at my dick.”

Shaking my head, I stared at the canopied bed top. It was way too early—

“That would be the wolf,” Reaver replied. “Not me.”

Oh, my gods.

I once more wondered if I could will myself into the mattress.

“Leave,” Casteel growled. “We’ll let you know when you have actual permission to enter.”

“You’d better make it quick,” Reaver said. “I doubt either of you wants to be mid-coitus—”

“Coitus?” Casteel huffed out a low laugh.

“The first time you meet her,” Reaver finished.

It took a moment for his words to register, but when they did, my heart lurched, and my head jerked down. “Her?”

“Yes. Her. The One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon,” he said. “The true Primal of Life and the Queen of the Gods and Common Man.”

I almost let go of the blanket.

Reaver tilted his head back. His lips curved into a rare half-smile. “She’s coming.”

CASTEEL

My head still felt scrambled from shifting so, honest to gods, I didn’t think I’d heard the draken right.

But then I heard Poppy’s gasp, and her shock was like a burst of cold wind against my senses.

My head swiveled toward her. She was as still as a statue, strands the color of deep-red wine tumbling over her…gloriously nude chest. Shit. She’d dropped the blanket.

I snapped forward, draped the robe over her shoulders, and drew it around her.

She didn’t even seem to register my presence as she squeaked, “Really?”

“Really,” Reaver replied.

Poppy’s concern filled my throat with a sensation that reminded me of swallowing too-thick cream. She was staring at the draken with wide eyes and didn’t protest as I worked her arm through one sleeve of the robe and then the other.

“Why?” she asked.

“I assume she has many reasons to visit,” he answered as I started on the buttons along the front of her robe. “I imagine some of them have to do with what happened yesterday.”

“And where were you yesterday?” I asked, even though Aurelia hadn’t been able to do much, so why would Reaver?

“I was in Ironspire.”

Well, that answer shut me up.

“She probably also wants to meet and thank you,” Reaver added.

“Thank me?” Poppy whispered. “For what?”

“For finding both of her sons and setting them free.”

Her gaze darted to mine and then back to Reaver. “Oh.”

Feeling Reaver’s curious stare, I finally reached the last of the buttons and bent my head so we were at eye level. “Hey,” I said quietly. “You okay?”

Her lips parted, and she nodded before her attention shifted back to Reaver. “How are…how are they?”

“Ires and Malec? I’m not sure,” he said as I stepped away and quickly grabbed the first pair of pants I found, pulling them on. “When I returned to Iliseeum to find someone to help you, I didn’t have time to check in on them. And Sera and Ash were busy.”

“Ash?” Poppy’s brows drew together.

“Nyktos,” he corrected himself as I stepped down from the bed.

And thank the gods she said more because I was seriously starting to worry if she was okay. Rhahar had told us that. “Right. He is known as the Asher.”

“Yep.”

I tied the stays on the leather pants. “Is he coming, too?”

“No.”

That was good news, considering the last and only time I’d met him, he hadn’t been all that friendly. Hopefully, Seraphena would be different.

But as I secured the flap on my breeches, one of Aydun’s warnings resurfaced, and my jaw clenched.

“Seraphena is coming,” Poppy stated before I could answer. “She’s really coming here. To the mortal realm.”

“Yes.” Reaver drew out the word, and the concern she’d felt before returned, spiking sharply. Even the draken picked up on it as I returned to her side and dropped my hand to her shoulder, squeezing gently.

Reaver’s usually impassive features softened, and that, right there, was why I hadn’t harmed the infuriating draken—well, seriously harmed him anyway. “There’s no reason to be worried, Poppy. You are, after all, her grandchild.”

Poppy blinked once and then twice. “But what about Millicent? She’s not here. Does Seraphena know that?”

“Likely not.”

Poppy’s gaze lowered, and she fell silent.

“How much time do we have?” I asked.

“She could show at any moment.”

That was a real helpful answer. “Can you get Kieran for me?”

Poppy’s eyes widened. “Perhaps it would be better to get someone else.”

“He’ll do it,” I said.

“Can I get the wolf? Yes.” Reaver paused. “Will I?”

“Yes, you will,” I snapped. “You will do exactly that because it will make Poppy happy.”

Reaver looked at Poppy as if he were seconds away from praying for her to disagree with my statement.

“It would make me happy,” she said. “Especially if you two don’t start fighting.”

The draken sighed. “Whatever.” He pivoted on his heel.

“Hold on,” I told him. “I want to talk to you really quick.” Ignoring whatever Reaver said under his breath, I turned back to Poppy. “I’ll be right back.”

Surprisingly, she nodded. I’d expected her to demand to know why I wanted to speak with Reaver privately, but then again, her mind was likely elsewhere. Dipping, I kissed her cheek. “I’ll only be gone for a few moments.”

Pulling myself away from her was hard. I didn’t like leaving her when she was like this, but there was something I needed to address.

They’ll come for her.

Drawing the bedchamber doors partially closed, I turned to where Reaver waited. “Keep walking.”

Hands fisting at his sides, he turned. “Lead the way, then.”

Brushing past him, I walked us into the Solar. I had no idea how good Poppy’s hearing was now, and I didn’t want her to overhear. Glancing around, I spotted the balcony doors and started toward them.

“Are you going to try to throw me off the balcony?” Reaver asked.

I opened the doors. “Don’t tempt me.”

Reaver’s chuckle was raspy. “You do realize I would just shift if you did.”

“I’d make sure you couldn’t,” I replied as we stepped into the dim, gray light of dawn. Cold air curled around us, drawing a frown from me. “Fuck, it’s colder than it should be…” I squinted as something drifted past my face. Several small, white flakes. “Is that snow?”

“Yeah.” Reaver stood with his back to the railing, his arms crossed. “I’m guessing this isn’t a normal weather pattern here?”

“No.” It should be warm at this time of year. Not as hot as in the summer months, but it never snowed in Carsodonia. Not even on the coldest days of what was winter here. I inhaled sharply. The imbalance Aydun had warned about was rearing its head again.

Pushing that aside, I turned my attention to Reaver. “How much do I need to worry with her coming here?”

Reaver frowned. “As I told Poppy, she has nothing to worry about. She is of Seraphena and Nyktos’s blood.”

“Not sure how much weight that carries,” I told him.

I was confident she’d answered my prayers, but I wasn’t willing to risk Poppy’s safety or well-being on the assumption.

Especially not after what Aydun had said would happen if Poppy proved to be an…

issue. They’d come for her. “Nyktos wasn’t all that friendly when we met him. ”

“He can be that way.”

“And the way Nektas talked, there was a chance that neither of them would be especially welcoming of Poppy because of who she has become.”

Reaver frowned. “Seraphena would rather slit her own throat than harm her son’s child.”

“That doesn’t mean she won’t.”

He frowned. “No, I suppose it doesn’t. If Poppy proves to be a threat.” His gaze met mine. “Same goes for you.”

Tension crept into my muscles. I didn’t give a fuck about me when it came to them. It mirrored what Aydun and Attes had said way too closely. The Fate had said more, though. “Whether she is a Primal or a mortal, Poppy is good to the core. She will not be a threat.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.”

“And if you’re wrong?” I held his stare. “I don’t give a fuck what or who she is. If she goes after Poppy, I will destroy her.”

The essence hummed in my blood as I held Reaver’s stare. He didn’t like what I’d said. Too bad. “And I have a feeling that’s not an impossible task.”

His lips thinned. “Possibly not, but even with there being a Primal of Life and Death, such an act would cause the kind of destruction you’ve been blessed to have never seen.”

“You think that would stop me?”

“No.” He lifted his chin. “But if you so much as lift a hand against her, you’ll have Nyktos to contend with. As well as Nektas.”

I remembered what he’d said about Seraphena and Nyktos being family. “And you?”

He held my stare. “You can count on it.”

“And?”

Reaver stared, then chuckled under his breath. “Well, it appears we’re on the same page then.” He inclined his head. “I’ll go find your wolf.”

I didn’t stop him when he turned. I waited until he had crossed the Solar and then entered.

They’ll come for her.

My hand fisted at my side as I stared at the large, oval table. They. Aydun had been talking about Seraphena and Nyktos. And the other reigning Primals.

And if they did?

The Ancients Aydun had warned about—those who slumbered in this realm and Iliseeum—would be the very least of their problems. Not even Kolis would be a threat they needed to be concerned about.

I would be their problem.